Improving Instructional Quality in Jewish Day Schools and Yeshivot ...

grade conferences, etc., effective principals, according to Blaséand Blasé (2004), make suggestions, give feedback, model, useinquiry, and solicit opinions from teachers.b. Providing staff development: According to Blasé and Blasé(2004), “Behaviors associated with providing staffdevelopment include emphasizing the study of teaching andlearning, support for collaboration, development of coachingrelationships, use of action research, provision of resources,and application of the principles of adult growth anddevelopment to all phases of the staff development program”(p. 162).c. Encouraging teacher reflection: Effective principalspurposefully engage teachers in articulating feelings, sharingattitudes, and deep thinking about instructional issues(Carroll, Featherstone, Featherstone, Feiman-Nemser, &Roosevelt, 2007; Farrell, 2003; Lasley, 1992; Schon, 1987).Vignette: About five years ago I visited a high school on thewest coast. A friend I had known in college, but had not seenin thirty years, was the new principal. We began reminiscingabout college but then the conversation turned ‘pedagogical.’ Idiscussed my research and work on teaching, supervision, andmy vision for good schooling when he suddenly interruptedand assertively stated, “Now Jeffrey, you don’t believe thatgarbage do you? ‘Professional learning communities,’ give mea break. Did we have them when we were in high school? Weturned out pretty damn good, didn’t we? I learned history andmath primarily through memorization and I was able to tiethings together using my own faculties. We rarely had PD.We knew how to think on our feet. This teaching thing, youknow is all intuitive. If I had a question, I’d ask a colleague . . .no need for meeting after meeting. I agree, though,”continuing his tirade, “teachers today are really a sad lot; theyare ill-prepared, . . . don’t even know their content; I have tospoon feed them. There’s no discipline in this school and Idon’t mean the kids. I have to run a tight ship, . . . be toughwith teachers; they have to know who’s the boss.” He later10